Test execution overview

IBM® Rational® Quality Manager provides a variety of test execution options, making the tool extremely adaptable for many types of test teams. This topic provides an overview of these options.

Fast path execution using test cases

With Rational Quality Manager, the lowest common denominator is the test case. In the fast path test execution scenario, you simply create a test case and run it.

When you run a test case, the associations with other test artifacts, such as test plans, test scripts, test environments, and test execution records are completely optional. You can make these associations if you choose and take advantage of the full range of features in Rational Quality Manager, but there is no requirement to do so.

In fast path execution, the test case often runs in the local environment, and when the test run is finished, you update the execution results as needed. As such, this scenario is very useful if your test execution requirements are relatively basic, and you do not need to support multiple platforms and test environments. This scenario enables you to get up and running quickly.

Test execution with test suites

A test suite is a collection of test cases that have been grouped for test execution purposes. Test suites can include both manual and automated tests, but they are most beneficial when you have a series of automated tests that you want to run without supervision. When running a suite, you can specify whether to run the test cases in the suite sequentially or in parallel.

Test execution records

Test execution records map the test environment information to the test case. They specify the hardware and software environment for execution. They basically say: Run the test case in this environment, for example, on this particular hardware platform, running this particular operating system, and using this particular browser. To ensure that your test case passes when it runs in four different test environments, you could create a test execution record for each test environment.

Test execution records also contain the overall result (that is, pass, fail, blocked) associated with the execution of a test case. In order for the test case to pass, all of its test execution records must pass.

You can create test execution records individually or use a wizard to generate several at once automatically.

Manual and automated test types

With Rational Quality Manager, you can create and run both manual and automated tests, including:

When you create automated tests, you create references to the actual tests recorded or created with the automated test tool. The actual tests can reside on a test machine in your test lab or at a shared network location. When you run a test that resides at a shared location, Rational Quality Manager copies the test to a test machine and then runs it.

Defect tracking

With Rational Quality Manager you can manage defects within the tool itself, or you can use other tools, such as Rational Team Concert or Rational ClearQuest®.

If the application under test is being developed in Rational Team Concert, you can manage your defects using defect work items in Rational Team Concert.

If your team uses Rational ClearQuest to track defects, you can use the defect work item type in Rational Quality Manager and use the Rational ClearQuest Connector to synchronize between the local defect repository and Rational ClearQuest.

Test execution workflow

If your test execution needs are more complex, and you need to support multiple platforms and test environments, you can take advantage of the full range of product capabilities to help automate your work. The following scenario presents one possible workflow for test execution.

  1. Create a test case.

    A test case is required for test execution.

  2. Add the test case to a test plan.

    A test plan helps to organize your test execution activities, but it is not a requirement for test execution.

  3. Open the Test Environments section of the test plan and define your platform coverage.
  4. Also in the Test Environments section, generate your test environments based on the defined platform coverage.
  5. Optionally, create a test script and associate it with the test case.

    You can create a manual test script using Rational Quality Manager or migrate the manual test script from another tool, such as Rational Manual Tester. You can also create references to preexisting automated tests created with other tools, such as Rational Functional Tester.

    Note: Certain kinds of tests, such as system verification tests, may not include a test script.
  6. Create a test execution record for the test case or generate multiple test execution records for the test case automatically.
  7. Run the test execution record.
  8. View the test execution results and file defects as needed.
  9. Update the test execution results as needed and save the results.
Related concepts
Test cases
Platform coverage and test environments
Test artifact relationships
Automated testing overview
Related tasks
Generating test execution records automatically
Creating a single test execution record
Integrating with Rational test tools

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